Driven: 2014 Kia Soul SX

The toughest job in any design studio is updating a unique design without changing what made it popular in the first instance.

That was the task facing Peter Schreyer’s team at

Kia’s when developing the second generation Soul.

Kia’s growing reputation for style and design, began with the Soul. You may love or hate the look, but there is no denying it’s presence.

The box-like look outshone and outlasted similar efforts from Honda (Element) and Nissan (Cube) and has become a stalwart in the Kia camp.

For 2014, the Soul is based on an entirely new structure, the same platform used for the new Forte.

It gets a new revised exterior, a revamped interior, more features and significant improvements in ride and handling.

The boxy, upright shape and proportions remain, but have been tweaked. The snub-nosed front end gets a new trapezoidal lower front fascia. The distinct fender flares and wheels pushed to the corners remain.

At the rear there is a larger hatch bracketed by more distinct tail lights. There are distinct LED lights at both end (on higher trim levels).

The greenhouse, the portion of the vehicle above the beltline has the same upright windshield and rearward cant.

The whole impression is of a vehicle that has grown in height. But the tape reveals the opposite to be the case.

The interior has benefitted from a more aggressive update. Soft touch plastics cover most surfaces from one door to the other.

A circular design theme dominates throughout, accented by LED lighting and piano black trim. Round speaker towers jut up from each end of the dash.

The thick steering wheel positively bristles with buttons and knobs. The instrument panel is low but legible. This height, combined with a tall seating position and lots of glass provides excellent visibility.

Those of shorter stature will especially like the Soul. The seats are now made from a new “dual-density” foam and the lower cushions up front provide better support for long legs.

As a result of the new platform, the second generation Soul is slightly longer, wider and lower.

The lengthened wheelbase allows more interior space and the interior packaging has been improved beyond the rather modest increase in dimensions.

There is ample head and legroom fore and aft for a quartet of 6’6” occupants – five if those in back are especially slim. Thanks to the upright shape and doors that open nice and wide getting in and out is easier than most vehicles of any size or price.

The rear cargo hatch opening is 61 mm wider than the outgoing model which is great for loading wide items.

But the cargo area is deceptive – and small. It has good width and height, but lacks depth unless the rear seat is lowered.

The new Soul boasts significant improvements in the areas of Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH). While attention to insulation and seals plays a major role so does the stiffer chassis.

Value is a key pillar in the Kia structure. That was the case with the original Soul and is even more so in the new version.

Kia has switched to a different model designation, swapping the confusing “U” series for LX, EX and SX. Pricing starts at $16,995 for the base LX model and tops out at $27,195 for a loaded SX with the luxury package.

Top it off with the luxury package as on the tester and you also get a gigantic panoramic roof, Xenon HID headlights, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, power driver’s seat and a premium Infinity audio system.

The engines are carried over from the outgoing model, slightly retuned for improved low end response. The base LX gets a 1.6-litre, 134-hp four and a six-speed manual gearbox. All others get a 164-horsepower, 2.0-litre four and a six-speed automatic.

Nobody will ever complain about too much power. The 2.0-litre is sprightly enough.

Extensive use of high strength steel from the company’s own plant adjacent the vehicle assembly site has resulted in a structure that is almost 30 per cent stiffer than the original.

This allowed the chassis engineer to address complaints about the first Soul’s brittle ride and so-so handling properties, particularly when on the low-profile 18-inch rubber of the top trim level.

Changes to the front struts and rear shocks have resulted in a vastly improved ride.

Handling has similarly improved thanks to a relocated anti-roll bar up front and a thicker tube for the rear suspension.

The Soul is a pretty impressive urban run-about with looks that allow it to stand out, great value and a record of proven reliability.